Four
Miles? Charming?
Nora
My eyelids snap open. Did I dream I fixed the code? I scramble off the couch and immediately miscalculate the distance to the floor. Instead of landing upright, I tumble sideways and thud onto the carpet.
“Awesome,” I mutter, brushing hair out of my eyes. “Great start.” I push myself up and spin in a slow panic, scanning the living room. Couch. Coffee table. Floor. No phone. “No, no, no,” I whisper, ripping the couch cushions free. Finally, wedged in the corner, I find my phone. I unlock it with fingers that feel like they’re running on unstable firmware, then open OneDate. No error messages. No crashes. I drop onto the now cushionless couch and exhale. “It wasn’t a dream.”
My phone chimes with a notification.
One New Member: Miles.
The corner of my mouth twitches. He’s certainly eager to get started. It hasn’t even been twelve hours since I sent him the download code.
A preview message pops up on my phone.
Mom
Did you forget about yoga this morning?
The oversized numbers on the lock screen glow 8:23.
“Shit.” I scramble across the room toward the dresser, typing with one hand while the other yanks open a drawer and grabs the first pair of yoga pants it finds.
Nora
Nope. I’m on my way!
Mom
As in you’re changing now and will be out the door in five minutes.
I hop on one foot, dragging the yoga pants up my legs. Tank top on. Shirt over my head. I grab the nearest zip-up hoodie, give it a quick sniff test, then shove my arms through it.
Nora
Close.
When I slip into the yoga studio, my mat tucked under my arm, Mom is already seated in Sukhasana, eyes closed and posture perfect. I tiptoe toward her, roll out my mat, and drop into position.
She cracks one eye. “The only acceptable excuse for being late is a sleepover.”
“No sleepover,” I whisper. “But equally exciting.”
“Do tell.”
“I finally fixed the broken code in OneDate.”
She opens her other eye. “I’m happy for you. But that wasn’t the kind of exciting I was hoping for.”
The instructor cues us into Baddha Konasana.
“I promise,” I say, folding forward, “it was thrilling.” I hesitate. “Also…I gave Miles a download code.”
Mom hums. “And?”
“And I’m hoping I don’t regret it.”
